Kelera Ditaiki 
Health officials are reminding the public that Tuberculosis remains a serious but preventable and curable disease in Fiji.
TB is a lung disease that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, but it is not spread by sharing food, kava, or through touch.
People are being urged to seek medical help if they experience a cough lasting more than two weeks. Other symptoms include night sweats, fever, weight loss, and constant tiredness.
The public is also advised to take simple prevention measures such as opening windows and doors for fresh air, practicing proper cough etiquette, and ensuring newborns receive the BCG vaccine at birth.
Officials from the TB department in Tamavua, stress that TB testing and treatment are free at all health facilities, and the disease can be cured with a full course of medication over six to eight months.
Patients are strongly encouraged to complete their treatment to prevent drug-resistant TB.
They are also calling on communities to stop the stigma around TB, emphasizing that those on treatment quickly become non-infectious and can return to healthy lives.
Anyone with symptoms or who has been in contact with a TB patient is encouraged to visit their nearest health centre, as efforts continue to eliminate TB in Fiji.
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